Category Archives: E-Commerce Fulfillment

About the 2016 Postal Rate Increase If you’re already in the e-commerce retail business, you have realized by now that there has been an increase in shipment costs. That’s because the USPS was given the go-ahead to alter its prices, which overwhelmingly meant increasing shipping rates across the board. For businesses just getting into shipping this year, this cost obviously hasn’t changed. But those who have been shipping packages for a while would have had to adjust to the 2016 postage rate increase. (more…)

What is Omni-Channel Fulfillment? Omni-channel fulfillment is essentially when a company uses a single inventory source to fulfill orders through all channels. That includes e-commerce, wholesale, in-store, in-store pickup, and in-store delivery. The trend of omni-channel order fulfillment is based on having one system handle all logistics, which means all products can be selected simultaneously regardless of the channel. (more…)

Whether or not your business decides to offer free e-commerce shipping is a big decision. You are faced with customer demand and increased competition from other e-commerce businesses already offering free shipping, but you also need to worry about your bottom line. Free shipping can be a great way to increase online sales, but it’s up to you to figure out at what cost. And for every business, deciding on free shipping will come down to factors specific to their company. But there are some pros and cons that should be weighed out before any final decision is reached. This...

If you’ve chosen to enter into the pharmaceuticals industry, know that you have chosen to simultaneously enter into one of the most lucrative industries as well as one of the most complex. Pharmaceuticals have become a normal part of life for the majority of Americans. Already, 60% of Americans take some kind of prescription drug, while 80% take an over-the-counter medication. This results in the pharma industry currently sitting at $425 billion and projected to be at $574 billion by 2019.   (more…)

As an e-commerce business, your company goes through a lot to decide on how much to charge for each product. Several factors go into that decision along with input from different staff on your team. However, it’s important to consider the cost of e-commerce fulfillment services before making final decisions on what your customers will be paying for any given product. There is definitely a fine line in figuring out what to charge and how that process works. If you end up not charging enough, your net profit could take a serious hit. If you charge too much, customers might...

With the new year approaching, now is a good time to start planning ahead for how your e-commerce business will handle the demands of 2016. The growing shift from brick-and-mortar stores to online ordering and fulfillment can present a host of opportunities, but only if you're savvy enough to stay at the forefront of what consumers are going to be demanding. Here are some trends that are expected to become a central focus of e-commerce fulfillment strategies throughout 2016. Automated Processing One of the advantages of online ordering is that it allows for a level of customization that is not...

Many small businesses may not realize the impact order fulfillment has on a company’s bottom line. Adjusting the price of products or implementing clever marketing strategies are usually top of mind when thinking of ways to improve revenue. But a sound order fulfillment process can be equally as rewarding and produce a return on investment worth the time it takes to develop the process. The proliferation of e-commerce in the operation of many businesses has made the task of fulfillment that much more challenging. Retailers are making offers—like free shipping—that are difficult to manage, yet they do this as a...

We’re quickly approaching what, for the bulk of retailers, is the most important and most profitable time of year as a percentage of overall sales: the holiday season. This period features Thanksgiving/Black Friday at the end of November and, of course, the Christmas season. While sales are certainly predicted to increase for the vast majority of retailers, preparing for successful e-commerce fulfillment is one way to boost your holiday profits. Experts Predict Higher Than Normal Jump in E-Commerce Sales According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), overall retail sales are expected to increase from 2.5% to as much as 3.7%,...

Order fulfillment is the act of getting an order into the customer's hands. For e-commerce retailers, especially those that are purely online, fulfilling sales orders is one of the most important parts of your business. A company skilled in order fulfillment will stand out as they can get packages to customers with less time and fewer complications. Being unskilled only increases customer dissatisfaction and raises the chance they'll want a refund. In a sense, the quality of the order fulfillment can even rival the quality of the product itself. There are multiple forms of fulfillment options available to your business....

Finding the right e-commerce fulfillment provider for your business is important—it could be the difference between growing a business to the next level and leaving it stagnant. Good e-commerce fulfillment can increase your sales, reduce your costs, and increase satisfaction for your customers. Here are the top 10 things to look for when choosing your e-commerce fulfillment provider: 1. Location: The location of an e-commerce fulfillment provider can have a big impact on your margins. The closer a provider is to your customers, the cheaper your shipping rates will likely be. For instance, if many of your customers are located in...